This will not be your traditional stand and deliver social studies classroom of the past. You might find yourself out in the hallway being actively involved or maybe in the parking lot recreating historical maps with sidewalk chalk, scavenger hunts, one to one technology projects, watching recordings of the class on the Internet, poster presentations, signaling the answers rather than writing them to make sure ALL are involved. These are just a few of the diversified approaches to teaching that will be administered. You will have to try very hard NOT to learn in this atmosphere.

History! The last five letters tell all. The stories of the past will come to life as the “ground runs red with Spartan blood” at Thermopylae. We will stand with Caesar as he contemplates treason on the banks of the Rubicon. The Minotaur will come to life as we tiptoe through the Labyrinth with Theseus. Hannibal will shout orders as he achieves the impossible by taking elephants across the Alps. Tears will need to be stifled as Emmitt Till is beaten to death and young girls jump from the ninth floor of the Triangle Shirtwaist factory to keep from being burned alive. The Bubonic Plague, Oedipus and the Sphinx, William conquering England, the Middle Passage, and Henry encouraging navigation… These images and many others will be painted in the minds of the students as they embark on another chapter in their lives as learners at SHHS.American History:

The Juniors will be starting the new year with a study of World War II and then progressing into the Cold War. The study of World War II is always a favorite of the students because of the unfathomable extremes that are allowed to take place; where the rise of totalitarian regimes usurps the individual rights of millions of people. The "greatest generation" is going to emerge as the heroes that save the world for democracy. However, the communist Soviet Union is also going to emerge as a world power along with their stated goals of worldwide communism. The fear of losing the democracy that was so costly ushers in a new global war, the Cold War. Our studies will then move us into the Civil Rights movement followed by a study of the Vietnam conflict.

World History:

The Age of Exploration, encompassing Triangular trade and the Middle Passage, is the topic we will start the new year with. The Enlightenment (Age of Reason) be we next on the agenda for the new year where we will analyze the influence of the classical types of government on the great philosophers of the day, and discuss the extension of their mind blowing accomplishments across the known world. Our studies will then advance into , Anti-Colonial movements, as well as the Age of Revolutions (French, Industrial, and Russian) to bring us to the end of the semester.